This invention relates to a medical diagnostic ultrasound system and method for flow analysis. In particular, abnormalities, such as arterial stenosis or constriction, in a vessel are identified.
Accurate diagnosis of constrictions in vessels, such as the carotid artery, assists medical treatment planning. Three-dimensional ultrasound images of the carotid are rendered from blood flow information. The user subjectively examines the geometry of the rendering for any constriction. This examination typically requires skill and experience to distinguish an actual stenosis from an image artifact or natural vessel variations.
The present invention is defined by the following claims, and nothing in this section should be taken as a limitation on those claims. By way of introduction, the preferred embodiment described below includes a method and system for automated flow analysis. Multiple cross-sectional areas along a vessel are determined automatically. A processor locates an abnormality as a function of the multiple cross-sectional areas, such as identifying a cross-sectional area that is a threshold amount less than an average cross-sectional area. The abnormal area is highlighted on the display to assist with medical diagnosis. Other methods of user notification (e.g., audible warning) are provided.
For the carotid artery, the interior and exterior branches are labeled to assist medical diagnosis. The two branches are automatically identified. The branch associated with additional small branches is identified as the exterior carotid.
Further aspects and advantages of the invention are discussed below in conjunction with the preferred embodiments.